


Two's Better Than One

by ThatOCLady



Category: LoveHacks (Visual Novel), The Royal Romance (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Family, Fluff, Other, Playchoices - Freeform, Princess Eleanor - Freeform, Romance, Smut, wlw
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-31
Updated: 2019-11-04
Packaged: 2021-01-15 19:23:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21258386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatOCLady/pseuds/ThatOCLady
Summary: Liam has been more stressed than he's ever been before. A special guest coming to the palace has prompted this anxiety in the Cordonian King. How will Liam fare against not one but both of his mothers-in-law?





	1. Chapter 1

_Cordonia_

The staff at the palace was rushing back and forth.  
“Yellow! Not pink! How do you get the two confused?!”, Liam’s assistant yelled at a staff-member.  
The unwanted linen was taken away in a cart, the sound of the wheels just a part of the entire hustle-bustle. Dani witnessed the scene in passing as she walked past the staff towards the nursery. One of Riley’s incompetent bodyguards, the hot one, was guarding the doors to the nursery. They gave her a nod.  
“Miss Spencer”  
She gave a mock salute and walked in as the doors were opened for her. The light from the windows was the first thing to catch her eye. Cordonia sure had a lot of sunshine. And said sunlight was making the couple standing in the middle of the room look like ethereal angels.  
Liam was talking to someone on the phone, but he perked up at once on seeing Dani. He hung up and walked over to give her a hug.  
“You made it”, he said, smiling.  
Dani hugged him back and kissed his cheek as they parted.  
“’course I did”, she said, “As if I would miss my niece’s first ever party”  
Riley spoke in that supercilious tone her voice took on when she was trying not to be condescending.  
“It’s a ‘family luncheon’ in honour of Eleanor, not a _party_”  
Dani walked to her, saying,  
“Leave it to you to literally take the word party out of an actual party, Riles”  
Riley smirked,  
“Good to see you too, my evil twin”  
“You’re the evil twin”  
A gleeful gurgle came from the bundle in Riley’s arms. Dani got close enough to look at the cuteness-bomb her niece, Princess Eleanor of Cordonia, was.  
_“Hiii, angelll”_, Dani cooed.  
“You wanna hold her?”, Riley asked.  
Dani was still smiling down at little Eleanor. She said,  
“What do you think I flew all the way here for?”  
Riley quipped, handing over the baby to Dani,  
“The free booze?”  
She was already making kissy faces at her niece, holding her with utmost care.  
“No, no, no”, she said, “Aunt Dani came here for Eleanor. Didn’t I, sweetheart? My god, Riley, she’s sooo cute! I can’t believe she came out of you”  
Dani bounced Eleanor a little in her arms. She was doing her best to be careful, the baby was only three months old, after all. Eleanor fixed her dark, bright eyes on Dani’s face, smiling as if she enjoyed the bouncing. She gave another heart-melting gurgle, forming a tiny drool-bubble at the corner of her mouth. The bubble rose above her face, startling Eleanor. Her eyes went wide and she exclaimed “Wooh! Wooh!” as she stared at this strange anomaly near her face, shaking her fists and legs all the while.

“It’s just flight information. _What is so-_ you know what? Meet me in my office. I’m coming down there in a minute”, Liam was saying on the phone.  
Dani exchanged a knowing look with her twin. She raised an eyebrow. Riley nodded.  
“Did you scare him?”  
Riley said,  
“I didn’t. He has been researching about them for almost a week”  
Liam walked to them then. He sounded frantic.  
“Dani, I hope you’re being taken care of well. If you need anything, I’ll be in my office. Don’t hesitate to ask for anything, okay?”  
Before she could reply, he was saying,  
“And I’ll see you as soon as I can, my love. I’ll be back”  
Both Dani and Riley stared at him in surprise as he kissed his daughter’s forehead, having clearly meant the words for her and not his wife. Liam strode away to the door, leaving Riley gaping after him, narrowing her eyes at his frame. As if realizing he had forgotten something, Liam turned around and walked to her. He was grinning.  
“Sorry”, he kissed her on the cheek, “Won’t happen again. I love you”  
“Uh-huh”, Riley replied.  
Dani bounced Eleanor in her arms again, taking in the look on her sister’s face. She smiled at Riley,  
“Poor guy”  
Riley just sighed. 

* * *

Maxwell was humming under his breath as they sat in the antechamber to Liam’s office. Hana was saying to Drake,  
“And you made sure to ask the chef that he only use _halal_ meat and sustainably sourced seafood?”  
“Um…”, was Drake’s answer.  
Maxwell chimed in,  
“Relax, Hana. You’re still in-charge of everything else. Liam just asked Drake to supervise the prep for the American dishes”  
“I know that”, Hana said timidly, “I’m just making sure”  
She sighed, saying,  
“Sorry if I seemed to be meddling, Drake. I prefer discussing this stuff with Liam and Riley. But Riley is spending time with her sister and Eleanor. And Liam’s just been so preoccupied lately”  
“Speaking of…”  
Drake indicated the door to Liam’s office. The King walked towards them at a brisk pace, taking a seat across from Maxwell.  
“Thanks for waiting, guys”, Liam said, tugging at his cravat.

Before he could even catch his breath, Liam was talking again.  
“Maxwell, I hope you followed the instructions for the entertainment program”, he said.  
Maxwell nodded, remembering all the non-party-esque instructions he had had to follow.  
“Of course. Nothing too loud, no fireworks, no confetti. Nothing un-eco-friendly. And Celine Dion will be performing shortly after lunch”  
“Thank you. Drake, the food and alcohol?”, Liam turned to him.  
“Yep. I talked to the chef. She said this might be the first time we’re going to serve fried chicken for a luncheon at the palace. Vegetarian options are available in three different Asian cuisines. And I personally selected the single malt…”  
Liam shot up in his chair, surprising everyone in the room.  
“No, no, no. No whiskey. I specifically told you she hates whiskey. _Vodka._ Vodka and cocktails are what she will be served”, he said, face harried.  
Drake said slowly,  
“Okayy…”  
Liam turned to Hana next. He said in a pleading voice,  
“I know you’re the only one who would never disappoint me, Hana. How are the rest of the arrangements?”  
She assured him,  
“I have followed all your instructions to the letter, Liam. And I have done my fair share of research on Analyn Torres. I’m going to do a debriefing for the palace staff before the flight lands. Maxwell will be with you at the airport for the welcoming”  
“No, I need you with me at the airport. I mean, I need Maxwell _and_ you there with me”  
Drake scoffed,  
“Gee, thanks, Liam”  
Liam tugged at his cravat again and walked to the coffee table. He poured himself a glass of water from the pitcher and emptied it in one go. Maxwell looked at Hana with meaning, who looked at Drake, quietly urging him to talk to the King.  
“You know”, Drake said to Liam, “I haven’t seen you this nervous ever before. You okay, man?”  
Liam didn’t answer. He flopped down into his seat again, closing his eyes and absently rubbing his forehead.  
Hana tried,  
“You have addressed an entire congregation of world leaders at the UN, and you didn’t sweat a drop. This can’t be more difficult than that, Liam”  
Liam replied,  
“I have to make a good first impression”  
Maxwell said, trying to lighten the situation,  
“You are the King of one of the wealthiest, coolest countries in Europe, Liam. And she’s what? A college professor?”  
Drake seemed to agree.  
“Maxwell’s right. I don’t see why you have to be so afraid of meeting your mother-in-law. She’s probably the opposite of Spencer. She’s probably like Dani, and not Riley”  
Liam mumbled,  
“The other one is”  
Maxwell was confused.  
“What?”, he asked.  
Liam sighed.  
“Riley told me her “Mom”, Razia Spencer, is the relaxed, carefree one like Dani. My _other_ mother-in-law, Dr. Analyn Torres, is an activist and a tenured professor at Columbia University, who’s known for her scathing criticism of capitalism and monarchy. She made the High Chancellor of Auvernal cry during his first and last visit to the USA”  
The room was suddenly quiet enough to hear the ticking coming from the clock on the wall. Hana said nothing, looking sympathetic to Liam’s cause of concern, as if she had known these fun facts all along. Maxwell just stared at one face from another, not knowing what to say. Drake broke the silence.  
“Well, damn” 

* * *

_Somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean –_

Analyn scrolled the webpage on her laptop. The plane lurched a bit, sudden turbulence rocking her in her seat. She stayed calm enough to finish reading the latest from the _Cordonian Daily_. She kept assuring herself she was not trying to gather ammunition to use against her son-in-law, but part of her felt guilty just the same. She had promised her wife she wouldn’t judge their son-in-law before she even met him, and she always kept her promises to Razia.  
“Baby?”  
Analyn closed her laptop and turned to her wife, who was just stirring from a four-hour nap. She smiled at the look of confusion on her wife’s face, something which amused her to no end even after thirty years of marriage. Razia’s short hair fell across her eyes, which she was rubbing sleepily.  
“Are we there yet?”, she asked, half asleep.  
“No, my love. Still an hour or so, I think”  
“Okay”  
Razia clutched Analyn’s arm and rested her head on her shoulder again. She said, with her eyes closed,  
“Did you finish reading about Liam?”  
“I-I wasn’t… um…”  
“It’s okay. I won’t tell Riley. Hehe”  
Analyn smiled and put an arm around her love,  
“Go to sleep, you. We’ll be in Cordonia soon”  
“I hope Eleanor’s got Riley’s eyes”  
“I quite like Liam’s eyes too”  
“He’s good-looking but, you know. Our baby’s our baby”  
“A stubborn 26-year old, yes”  
“Shush. We haven’t seen her in forever. We’re just going there to see her and our granddaughter, okay? No fighting”  
“Yes, darling”  
“Good. I sleep now. Good night”  
“It’s morning”, Analyn grinned.  
_“Mhm”_  
Her wife was asleep again in minutes. Putting away her laptop, and her inhibitions for the time being, Analyn wrapped her arm tighter around Razia and closed her eyes. She hoped to get some sleep before meeting her royal son-in-law for the first time. They had so much to talk about.


	2. Chapter 2

Riley and Dani were in the middle of a conversation when Liam burst into the nursery. He opened his mouth to announce something when the sight of his daughter asleep seemed to have caught his eye. Liam walked to them then, and spoke in a low voice.   
“Their flight is supposed to land in thirty minutes. Hana, Maxwell and I are headed to the airport soon”   
Riley got up to lay a hand on her husband’s arm.   
“Liam, we talked about this. Are you sure you have to be at the airport? I mean, I think it’s incredibly sweet of you but you _are_ the King of Cordonia. I don’t want the press to put some kind of weird spin to you personally receiving my parents at a public airport. You know what I mean?”   
Liam shrugged,   
“Who cares about the press right now? I just came here for a good luck kiss”   
Riley smiled as Liam planted a big kiss on her forehead, as if he was drawing strength from her. She held his face between both hands, lowering it to hers for a kiss on the lips. Liam went in for seconds.   
“You have nothing to be nervous about. My parents are going to love you, because they respect my decisions and they know I wouldn’t marry just anybody. Okay?”   
Liam rested his forehead against hers, inhaling a deep breath. Riley smiled and caressed his slightly stubbled cheeks with her fingertips.   
“Okay”, he said.   
“Good”, she said sweetly, “I love you”   
He kissed her again,   
“I love you too. So much”   
As they parted, Dani encouraged Liam.   
“Go get ‘em, tiger”, she said.   
“Thank you”   
With another nervous glance at his wife, Liam walked out of the room.   
It worried her. Riley knew how important it was to him, meeting her parents for the first time. She only wished she could assure him everything would go well with Mama.   
“Did you talk to Mama?”   
Dani’s question broke her chain of thoughts. Riley nodded. She reached down to tuck Eleanor’s little hand under her blue blanket.   
Dani leaned back into the couch, saying,   
“I talked to her too”   
“What did she say?”   
“She said, ‘Of course, darling. I don’t have anything against the man. I just don’t approve of what he represents’. Y’know, the usual”   
With a groan, Riley lay down sideways on the couch. 

* * *

At the airport, the Royal Guard had cordoned off the area where their King and members of the Royal Council were awaiting their guests. The flight had landed and people were already coming out of the plane. Liam took deep breaths, inaudible ones so no one could tell how nervous he was. On either side of him, Maxwell and Hana were craning their necks to get a better look at the line of travelers disembarking.   
“Is that them?”, Hana wondered aloud.   
Muscles tensing all of a sudden, Liam kept his eyes on the crowd. There they were indeed.   
Razia Spencer looked just like he had last seen her. He had talked to her before on two of the many video calls she had had with Riley. The first one was before their wedding, and the last one was three months ago after Eleanor’s birth.   
A tall woman with a faraway smile on her face. Her short hair and lean build made her look much younger than she was. She wore a flannel button-up and ripped jeans. No wonder she was the “cool Mom” of the two.   
Analyn Torres, on the other hand, looked like she had stepped off the plane for an important international conference. She was slightly shorter than her wife, about the same height as Riley he guessed, but looking more imposing anyway. She carried their cabin luggage in one hand while her wife clung to her other arm. Taking Liam by surprise, the woman’s stoic face broke into a bright smile at what Razia said. Something told him that smile was only reserved for Analyn’s wife and daughters.   
“Let’s go. You ready, Liam?”, Hana asked.   
“Yes”

They strode forward to receive his in-laws, without any guards in tow. That had been Liam’s idea, one he had had to argue with Bastien to implement. He wanted his mother-in-law to see him as a man first, not a powerful King.   
Razia gave him a big smile as he reached them.   
“Liam!”, she exclaimed, “Finally we meet!”   
“Hello, Razia”, he smiled too.   
She gave him a quick hug, never taking her eyes away from his face.   
“I thought Riley was exaggerating cause she loves you, but you really are even more handsome in person”   
He grinned, trying not to blush.   
“Thank you. It’s so good to have you both here”   
He glanced at Analyn, who was studying him with a small polite smile. Razia put an arm around her and said to him,   
“This is Analyn, my wife and my love. Don’t let the flight fatigue fool you. She’s been really excited to meet you and Eleanor”   
“Hello, Dr. Torres”   
He offered her a smile, remembering she didn’t like being hugged. Analyn gave him a nod, maintaining her curt smile,   
“Hello, King Liam. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. Thank you for inviting us”   
“Of course. I only wish Cordonia could have been brightened by your presence sooner”   
Razia said,   
“We regret not coming to your wedding, we really do. But you know the reason”   
Liam gave a somber nod, and heard Maxwell say,   
“I don’t”   
Razia turned to Maxwell, speaking candidly,   
“It was because of Analyn’s father’s illness. He was in and out of the hospital for over a year. And we couldn’t trust anyone else to look after him. We thought he was getting better but... he passed away two months ago”   
“Oh”, Maxwell seemed embarrassed, “I-I’m sorry. I had no idea”   
“That’s all right”, Analyn said to him.   
Liam broke the awkward silence that followed. He cleared his throat.   
“Allow me to introduce you to Lady Hana Lee, Guardian of the Realm and Riley’s best friend. And this is my dear friend, Lord Maxwell of House Beaumont. He represents the people of his duchy when his elder brother Lord Bertrand Beaumont is occupied”   
“So _you_ are Maxwell”, Analyn looked at him with an unflinching gaze, “The one who… _sponsored_ Riley and brought her to Cordonia”   
“Yes, ma’am”, Maxwell mumbled.   
He said suddenly, as if trying to compensate for something,   
“Uh… seeing you both, now I know where Riley gets her good looks from”   
Razia tried to laugh at his comment but the laughter never left her mouth, turning into an awkward smile at last. Analyn stared at Maxwell. She told him,   
“Our daughters are adopted”   
Something which should have been clear to Maxwell by looking at the stern Filipina and the uneasy Indian woman standing before them. Especially since both Riley and Dani were Caucasian.   
“Oh I know. I just… it was supposed to be… a joke”, Maxwell managed to say.   
To Liam’s relief, Hana took over. She gave them a charming smile.   
“You must both be tired from such a long flight. Why don’t we head home? Riley and Dani are waiting, and Eleanor should be up from her nap by the time we get there”   
Liam saw Razia discreetly squeezing Analyn’s arm before they started moving. He stepped forward.   
“Allow me”   
Analyn didn’t let go of the trolley bag.   
“Oh no, no. I couldn’t let a King carry my luggage”, she said.   
“It’s no trouble”, he tried.   
“Exactly. It’s a trolley bag, I can just drag it behind me”, Analyn said, “You can lead the way”   
Reluctantly, Liam walked ahead of their guests with Maxwell, leaving Hana to chat with them as they headed to the cars. 

* * *

“Thank you”, Analyn said.   
The staff-person gave her a deep bow before retreating, making her feel quite uncomfortable. Traveling as part of a motorcade for the first time had caused her visible discomfort, and having people wait on her was no different. She closed the doors behind the retreating figure and turned to her wife.   
Razia was bouncing on the bed she sat on. She gasped,   
“My butt is in _heaven_. These beds are so soft!”   
Analyn walked to their bags, muttering under her breath,   
“Probably made from workers’ tears”   
_“Baby”_   
That was her warning tone. Analyn braced herself for some admonishment.   
“We _just_ got here. And you promised you would be nice”, Razia reminded her.   
Analyn turned to her as she took off her travel-crumpled clothes. She said,   
“You and our daughters must think I’m some kind of monster. That somehow I have it out for King Liam the Perfect”   
Razia got off the bed, saying,   
“This is exactly what we meant. You rushing in to judge Liam by his title”   
Analyn just shook her head, walking to the washroom. Razia stopped her by putting her arms around her waist from behind.   
“Baby, he is a good man”, Razia said, “You _know_ Riley would never settle for anything but the best. And he isn’t like other rulers. He has had a really difficult childhood. They only found out before Eleanor’s birth who it was that poisoned Liam’s mother when he was a kid. He’s not a stuck-up, pretentious jerk. He’s really sweet and down-to-earth. I’ve talked to him, so I know this. You would have known it too if you had talked to him on the phone when Riley and I kept asking you to”   
Analyn hated her body for relaxing under her touch so easily, even after all these years. She had been angry just a second ago. But what Razia said made sense to her.   
“If you don’t trust our daughter’s judgment, trust mine? If anyone deserves the benefit of your doubt, it’s him, I promise you”   
Trying to stay stubborn when her wife was holding her and speaking to her in that gentle voice was something Analyn had never been able to do. She pictured her daughter’s face for a moment, before finally giving in.   
“Fine”   
Razia smiled and kissed her wife’s cheek from over her shoulder.   
“That’s my girl. Now come on, let’s wash up and get ready to meet our babies”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave me some feedback. Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam is convinced Analyn hates him. Meanwhile, Riley deals with the emotions of meeting her mothers for the first time in over a year. There's some smut in this chapter yah :3

Little Eleanor was so easily entertained. She was thrashing her feet in excitement on seeing the toy Riley held up in front of her. For Riley, her baby was all the distraction she needed from the tight knot of anticipation in her stomach.  
It had been over a year since she had seen her parents. She alone knew how dearly she had missed them at every single step of her new life in Cordonia. Her Mama had been understanding when Riley had said she couldn’t attend her grandfather’s funeral. It had been less than a week since Constantine’s death and Liam had needed her more. Her conscience gnawed at her often, wanting to make her believe she had abandoned her family for a life with Liam. She could only hope that wasn’t what her mothers believed.  
“Mama! Mom!”  
She heard Dani squeal from behind her. Her twin ran to the two women who had just entered the nursery. Tears filled Riley’s eyes as she turned to look at them.  
_‘Just the way I left them’_, she thought.  
While Dani and Mom were squeezing each other out like bears embracing, Riley watched her Mama smile at her.  
“Hi, baby”, Analyn said.  
Two words that broke through all her queenly composure.  
She felt like her four-year old self again, wanting nothing more than the comfort of her parents’ embrace. Riley got up to throw herself into those arms, only to be beaten to it by her mother. Analyn gathered her in a fierce hug, sighing as if she had felt the relief of a lifetime.  
“Oh I missed you, my darling. I missed you”, Analyn whispered.  
Riley almost sobbed, saying,  
“I missed you too, Mama. I missed you so much. I’m so sorry”  
“It’s okay. You did nothing wrong. I’m so proud of you”, Analyn kissed her forehead, “You are so brave, my love. So brave”  
Even through her tears, Riley could see the pride and love reflected in her mother’s eyes. It was the one thing she knew that would never change. 

“Family hug!”, Razia announced.  
Riley was immediately squished on both sides by her Mom and Dani. Wiping at her tear-stained cheeks, she turned to Razia and wrapped her arms around the slender frame.  
“Aw. There’s my Riley”  
Her 57-year old mother still smelled like bubblegum and candy floss, and just a touch of vinyl. Riley felt those minute calluses from her fingertips as Razia’s hands rested on her cheeks, calluses from years of plucking guitar strings and pressing piano keys. Her eyes closed as Razia planted a hearty kiss on her forehead.  
“Let me look at you”  
“_Mooom. _We just had a video call yesterday”, Riley grinned.  
“Exactly. And”, Dani interrupted, “You two have wasted too much time on the opening act. The showstopper’s there”  
Riley and her Mama rolled their eyes at the same time at Dani’s words, and watched Razia nearly sprinting towards Eleanor’s crib. She emitted a loud gasp as if she had discovered treasure.  
“Oh my god. Oh my goodness”, she kept saying in awe.  
Riley watched from a little distance, so as not to crowd Eleanor’s crib on all four sides. Her Mom was clutching Mama’s arm, saying over and over,  
“That’s our granddaughter. Oh baby, she’s so cute”  
“She is”, Analyn smiled.  
Riley offered,  
“Do you want to hold her?”  
“Yes please”, Analyn said.  
“Go ahead then”  
Tenderly, Analyn reached into the crib and took her grandchild in her arms for the first time. A pleasant warmth seemed to bloom in Riley’s chest, watching her mothers and her sister gaze so adoringly at her daughter.  
“Hi, Eleanor. I’m your grandma. My name is Razia. Oh you’re so precious, sweetheart, I might just cry”  
Dani was the first one to notice. She said,  
“Mama? Are you crying?”  
“No, I’m not”  
Razia immediately put her arm around Analyn, who was biting her lip and keeping her head bowed to hide her eyes.  
“Aw, my baby. You’re not fooling _us_”  
“She’s just…”, Analyn looked up at Riley and Dani, her eyes glistening and her brow creased in a frown, “She’s just so cute”  
As if accepting the compliment, Eleanor grinned at her grandmothers and let out a delightful squeal. 

* * *

At the luncheon, Liam felt like he was witnessing the scene unfold from a different dimension. He had ensured that only their closest friends, whom he could trust to make Cordonia look good to Analyn’s eyes, were the other guests at the luncheon. With a smile, he watched Razia recount some embarrassing tale from Riley and Dani’s childhood. Analyn held Eleanor in her arms, her empty plate of food still in front of her on the table. What pleased him most was that he hadn’t seen his wife so happy and relaxed in a long, long time. As the Queen of Cordonia, Riley seldom let her guard down anymore. But sitting next to her mothers, she reminded him of the spontaneous, daring girl he had met in New York once upon a time. He was beyond grateful to Analyn, distant as she was, and to Razia for making him see Riley at such ease. The happiness he was feeling imbued him with some nerve.

Liam rose from his chair, hoping no one would follow the royal table manners and stand up because the King had done so. He walked around the table to Analyn’s side. Eleanor noticed him right away and her face scrunched up in an excited grin. She kept raising her little butt and flailing her arms, squealing a litany of baby noises at him. Analyn smiled at her and then at him.  
“She wants Daddy”, she said.  
Liam was only too happy to take his pride and joy in his arms, holding her straight so he could kiss her little nose. He was lost in his daughter’s sunshine-like smile when Analyn said,  
“Thank you for such a thoughtful meal”  
_‘Are my ears ringing?’_, he wondered.  
Analyn thanked someone from the waiting staff who was clearing away the tables. She stood up next to Liam. His relief on seeing her smile at him was tinged with anticipation. She continued,  
“My daughters told me you planned every part of this lunch down to the last detail. The fried chicken, my favourite brand of vodka, the caramel ice-cream with the Madeline cookies my wife likes – it was really sweet of you”  
Holding Eleanor against his shoulder, with a hand behind her neck, Liam exhaled a deep sigh of relief.  
“I’m really glad to hear that. I wasn’t sure how you would feel about it. But honestly, everyone helped. The credit goes to the staff and our advisers”  
Analyn gave him a curious look, as if he had said something that secretly pleased her.  
“Of course”, she said, “I do feel bad that you felt the need to go to such lengths for us though. Dani told me you have planned everything yourself to make sure my wife and I feel at home here”  
She placed a placating hand on his forearm, the corners of her eyes crinkling slightly as she spoke.  
“But you don’t have to impress us. Especially not me. Whatever my political views are, it is my duty towards my daughter to see you as my son-in-law and not just another monarch. As long as you make your wife and child happy, and keep them safe, I have no right to complain”  
Liam could feel the tender affection in her tone, which made him wish his own mother had been there with them today.  
“Thank you, Analyn”, he said.  
“You’re welcome, Liam”  
Their attention was diverted by the sound of Maxwell’s voice from the stage as he announced the arrival of Celine Dion. Liam heard a high-pitched squeal coming from the other end of the lawn and saw Razia staring wide-eyed at the stage in disbelief.  
“Your efforts may be slightly extravagant, Liam, but for making my wife happy like that”, Analyn smirked, “…I can overlook it” 

* * *

Liam was taking a moment for himself in the garden maze. He had finally felt some relief from the anguish of the past two weeks. Analyn wasn’t as critical of him as reading her research papers on the privileged classes had led him to believe. She had just needed some time to warm up to him. Now with the fear of being despised by his mother-in-law vanquished, he was looking forward to taking her and the family sightseeing. As he walked in the maze with his hands behind his back, he knew he would have to ask Analyn and Razia first if they were interested in sightseeing.  
“Boo!”  
Grinning, Liam caught those hands over his chest as Riley hugged him from behind. He brushed his lips against her knuckles.  
“Aw. I didn’t scare you?”, she asked.  
Liam looped his arm around her and pulled her in front of him, hugging her waist. He grazed his nose against hers, stealing a quick kiss.  
“Nope”, he said.  
Riley looked up at him with such a pleasant smile. It made him want to cover her face with kisses.  
“You seem happy”, she said.  
“I am”  
“Really? You’re not worried about my mother anymore?”  
He shook his head, saying,  
“I was so afraid of being judged harshly by Analyn that I jumped to some conclusions of my own. Your mother is definitely… intense”  
_“Mhm”_  
Riley’s playful tone suggested that Liam be careful with his wording. All those diplomacy lessons throughout his childhood were not for nothing though. He smiled.  
“But she seems like a very interesting and open minded woman. And I hope I get to spend more time with her and Razia”  
“Good answer. But…”, Riley said.  
Liam raised an eyebrow as she took hold of his lapels, looking up at him through her eyelashes. Riley ran her fingers down his sleeve, saying softly,  
“How about… you spend some time with _me_?”  
“What about…”  
She cut him off, saying,  
“Eleanor’s sleeping. Hana has engaged Mama in a very detailed conversation about modern Chinese history. And Mom’s probably asleep by now on the couch in the nursery”  
“Ah. I see”, Liam said.  
Riley moved away from his arms, swaying her hips, doing her version of a sexy dance which was anything but. Liam grinned as he watched her making waves in the air with her arms. After almost a year of marriage, Riley knew the effect her dorky dancing had on him.  
“This is, after all, the place where we first made love”  
She gave him a wink, still swaying where she stood. Liam took a step towards her, biting his lower lip as he gazed hungrily at her opulent hips.  
“What if someone walks in on us?”, he asked.  
“When has that ever stopped you, my King?”, she said.  
Liam slid his hand around Riley’s waist, resting it on her lower back. She turned up her chin at him. Her hair fell away from her shoulders, exposing her neck to his lustful gaze. Liam nearly growled,  
“Riley”

He had lifted her off her feet in an instant and pinned her against the tall hedge. Liam rested his hands under Riley’s ample butt to support her weight. She seemed to be pulling him even closer with her legs around his waist. Liam could practically feel the heat radiating from between her legs, and he was sure she could feel his. Riley sought his lips in a passionate kiss, impatiently tasting his mouth with her tongue. The low moans from her throat stoked his fire further.  
_“Mmm”_  
Riley moaned into his mouth as Liam squeezed her cheeks from below. She was panting for breath when he broke away from their kiss to nip at the sensitive skin of her neck.  
“You’re incredible”, he said hoarsely.  
Riley slipped her hand between their bodies and rubbed him through his trousers. Liam gasped, sensitive to her touch despite of the layers of fabric between them.  
“You’re locked and loaded to go, huh?”, she teased him, still rubbing the front of his trousers.  
Liam slid his hand up her dress and between her thighs, making Riley shiver and tighten her thighs around his fingers. Liam swirled his fingertips in the wetness which now coated his fingers.  
“You’re one to talk”, he said.  
Riley braced her hands on his shoulders, trying to put her feet back on the ground. Liam let her. He reached for her breast with one hand gave it a gentle squeeze. Her breasts were so full lately, from having to feed their daughter, it drove him crazy to even think about them.  
“L-Liam…”  
He flicked her stiff nipple through her clothes with his thumb, feeling the slight dampness that wasn’t there a moment ago.  
“I wanna taste you”, he said.  
“I wanna taste you first. Please”  
Liam watched Riley get down on her knees before him with delicious anticipation. She unzipped his pants and tugged them low. Liam hissed a breath as she reached in lovingly to free him.  
“Riley…”  
She rubbed her thumb over the head, making him wince with pleasure. Liam looked down into her eyes as Riley took him in her mouth, and slowly passed her lips along his girth. He curled his fingers at the back of her head. Her silky hair in his hands, her soft lips on his raging erection, her teasing tongue, the warmth of her mouth – Liam was in…  
“Oh my god!”  
Riley let go of him quickly, startling him further. Liam barely had time to pull up his pants as she got to her feet and looked behind him. Her petrified gaze told him all he needed to know. But as Liam turned around, trying to zip up his pants, his fears were confirmed.  
Razia was hiding her face in her wife’s shoulder, and Analyn stared at him with a subdued look of horror on her face.  
Riley whispered to him, sounding mortified,  
“I can’t believe my Moms just saw your butt”


End file.
